Toy vehicle



13am M, 1951 A. R. THOMAS 2,538,050

TOY VEHICLE Filed Feb. 25, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet l A. R. THOMAS Jan. 16, 1951 TOY VEHICLE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb, 25, 1946 Aff/gas Patented Jan. 16, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFlCEejf;A

TOY VEHICLE Arthur R. Thomas, Detroit, Mich.

Application February 25, 1946, Serial No. 649,905

3 Claims. l

This invention relates to toy vehicles, and in particular to hand-propelled toy vehicles.

One object of this invention is to provide a hand-propelled toy vehicle having an improved propulsion mechanism which is more easily operated by the user than previous toy vehicles.

Another object is to provide a hand-propelled toy Vehicle wherein the power is transmitted from a pivoted hand lever to an axle of the vehicle by a novel mechanism including a rocking tri-pivotal member, whereby a greater mechanical advantage may be more conveniently exerted than in other such vehicles.

Another object is to provide a hand-propelled toy vehicle as set forth in the object immediately preceding, wherein the force is transmitted from the tripivotal member to the axle of the vehicle through a exible member, such as a belt, coiled around a clutch-connected mechanism which permits driving motion in one direction only and which accordingly permits the hand lever to be returned to its forward position without requiring the operator to exert effort.

Another object is to provide a hand-propelled toy vehicle as set forth in the two preceding objects, wherein the clutch mechanism also prevents the transmission of power backward from the axle to the hand lever when the vehicle is pushed backward.

Another object is to provide a hand-propelled toy vehicle wherein the hand lever carries a steering device which is connected to a steerable wheel of the vehicle through a novel ilexible coupling.

Another object is to provide a hand-propelled toy vehicle wherein the mechanism employed enables a smooth operation with no dead center eiect, and an unusually short stroke of the hand lever provides a long propelling stroke wherein the vehicle will advance a longer distance than prior vehicles for each stroke and whereby the user can operate the hand lever while standing up as well as sitting down.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent during the course of the following description of the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a side elevation of a. hand-propelled toy vehicle according to a preferred embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is a top plan View of the toy vehicle shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a horizontal section through the clutch and adjacent structure taken along 'the line 3--3 in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a vertical section through the clutch taken along the line 4--4 in FigureS;

Figure 5 is a vertical section through the power-transmitting strap and shaft, taken along the line 5-5 in Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a vertical section adjacent the coil spring of the clutch shaft taken along the line 6-6 in Figure 3;

Figure 7 is an approximately vertical section through a portion of the steering mechanism, taken along the bent line I-l in Figure l;

Figure 8 is an enlarged vertical section through the flexible coupling in the steering mechanism,l

taken along theline 8--8 in Figure 7; and

Figure 9 is a cross section through the steering shaft and `adjacent mechanism, taken along the line 9-9 in Figurel.

Referring to the drawings in detail, Figures 1 and 24 show a hand-propelled vehicle according to a preferred embodiment of the invention as including a pair of roughly triangular spaced frame members I0 having upper portions I Il, for:- ward portions I2 and lower portions I3 surround. ing an aperture I4 of roughly triangular shape. The frame portions I2A are curved as at I5 to permit swinging of the front tire I6 on the front wheel I'I, which is rotatably mounted on the front axle I8 supported by the front fork I9. y The latter at its upper end carries a shaft 20 (Figure 7) mounted in bores 2I and 22 of a rectangularV frame 23, the sides of which are bolted as at 24 to the parallel projecting portions 25 of the frame members I0. The fork I9 and its shaft 210 are held together with the frame 23 by means of a 1 nut 26 threaded upon `the threaded portion 21 of the shaft 20. h

Mounted on the upper end of the shaft 20 (Figure 8) and pinned thereto by the pin 26 is a collar 29 serving as an abutment member for oppositely` coiled outer and inner coil springs 36 and 3| respectively. The outer coil spring 3E is seated against an annular shoulder 32, and is threaded upon the coarse outer threads 33 of a tubular projection 34 of the collar '29. The tubular projection 34 (Figure 8) is also provided with a ameter portion 42 of a squaredshaft d3 (Fig` ure 8). The latter is reciprocably mounted in the square bore lili in a sleeve 45 mounted in the lower end of a tubular shaft L36 (Figures 7 and 9). The tubular shaft t6 at its upper and lcwer ends is provided with enlargements d'1 and ttl. serving as abutments -for upper and lower bearing brackets 49 and 58 respectively. The tubular .shaft is journaled in the bearing brackets is and 5d and on its upper end carries a cross bar 51. The brackets 8 and 58 are interconnected by a tie bar 52 connected thereto as by welding. The up per bracket 48 is provided with rearwardly tending ears 53 which are bolted as at to the parallel side bars 55 of a hand lever generally` designated 58.

The side bars 55 of the hand lever 5S are interconnected by a U-shaped'mernber 5r welded thereto (Figure 2), and below this have outwardly bent portions 58 leading to the parallel lower portions 59 thereof. The lower side bar portions 5B are pivotally mounted on a pivot bolt 8S extending between the lower frame portions 13 or" frame members 11.

As a consequence of this construction, when' the cross bar 5| is pulled back and forth, the hand lever 56 swings back and forth around the pivot bolt 6D, its rearward position being indicated by the chain line in Figure 1. At the same timel` the coil springs 38 and 3| flex and squared shaft 43 slides in and out of the square bore d the sleeve 45'. This provides a constant steering connection between the front fork i9 and the cross bar 5i, regardless or the position of the hand lever 56, and when the cross bar 5i is turned to steer the vehicle, the oppositely coiled coil springs 38 and 3| transmit the steering torque to the front fork I9 in either direction of turning, and in any position of the hand lever 55.5.

The power from the hand lever 5t is transmitted to a pair of spaced tri-pivotal members 8 by means oi links 62 pivotally connected at 63 to.` the Side bar portions 59 and at 551 to the arms 65 (Figure 1) of the tri-pivotal members t5. The latter roughly resemble draftsrnans triangles the forward corners of which are interconnected by a.. pivot bolt 8 6. carrying links 61, the opposite ends of which are pivotally mounted on pivot boltv 6B interconnecting the lower forward end of the bottom portions 13 of the frame membersy The. tri-pivotal members 61. are also interconnected by a second pivot bolt 59 which carries apair of links '18, the lower ends of which are pivotallv mounted on a. pivot bolt 'it The pivot bolt 89 is located approximately at the second corner of each tri-pivotal member Si third corners of which are interconnected by a tie,= bolt 12.

The end of a belt 'i3 is anchored to the bolt 1.2l and, after passing around the tie bolt T52. is'

secured as at 'M to the remaining portion of. the belt 1.3. As a consequence, when the. cross bar and hand lever 56 are rocked to and fro. the trip-ivotal members 6| swing between their solid line. and chain line positions shown in Figure i, and; the belt I3 is pulled forward and backward in accordance with the forward and backward' motion of the tie bolt 12. the links E? and it rocking about their respective pivot bolts 555 and The belt. 'I3 near its opposite end is coiled around' a hub F5 of a hollow shaft i8 the bore E'i ofwhi'ch rotatably engages. a pivot bolt i8 secured to. and extending between the .side plates 'it and 80. 4which are in turn bolted as at 8l.. to the frame members i1. The inner end 82 of the belt '13 secured within a slot 83 in the hub 'l5 and held in position by a transverse set screw S4 counter-y sunl; therein (Figure 5). A disc-like flange 85 integral with the hollow shaft '16 (Figure S) prevents the belt i3 :from moving sidewise toward the side plate 88 as it uncoils in response to the motion of the hand lever 56.

A @at spiral spring 86 has its bent inner end (Figure (i) seated in a slot 88 in the hollow shaft '15 and its outer end 88 is bent around an anchor bolt 9@ secured as at 9| to the side plate 3:3 (Figure 3). As a result, the coil spring 88 winds up when the belt i3 is pulled forward and rotates the hollow shaft '16. When the hand lever 5s is pushed forward, the spiral spring 8S unwinds and pulls the belt "13 back into its coiled position upon the hub i5.

The hollow shaft 7S on the side opposite the coil spring 8@ from the hubv '15 is provided with a s uared portion 92 engaging a correspondingly squared bore d3 in an eccentric cam 84 having a air or spiral outer surfaces 95, the adjacent ends oi which are separated by teeth 96 (Figure 4) forming notches Si? in the cam 94. These` notches il? are engaged by similarly shaped teeth t8 upon the forward ends of arcuate driving shoes 88,

the rearward ends it! of which are rounded. The

arcuate outer surfaces of the shoes 88 engage. the correspondingly arcuate inner surfaces of a pair of arcuate driven clutch members 1G 1. These are ioatingly mounted `for limited self-alignment by being provided with squared transverse holes 8" penetrated by the projecting ends of smallerdiameter pins 03, the opposite ends of which arel seated in bores |55. in the hub 185 of a sprocket ili provided with the usual peripheral teeth.

mi. The square holes |82, being larger than the pins mi?, permit both radial and tangential motion to a limited extent without binding, where.A as round holes, while usable, increase the tend-i ency to bind in a radial direction.

The hub is provided with a hollow cylindrical bore |88 which receives the cam 94, the

shoes 99 and the arcuate driven members 10| (Figure 3) and is provided with an end surface |59 against which the sides of these elements abut. The outer end of the bore |08 is closed by a cover plate 11|] mounted on the annular shoulder 1li of the hollow shaft '15 and having a peripheral flange |12 extending over a portion of the hub 585 to enclose the chamber formed by the bore 1&8 therein.

The teeth lil'i of the sprocket |06 are engaged by an endless sprocket chain |13 which drivingly engages the teeth |14 of a sprocket |15. The latter is mounted upon the tubular hub 111 of the rear wheel 1 i8, carrying a tire 1 19.` The hub 1 11 is provided with a borel 1.28' through'whichpasses the rear axle 121 which in turn is adjustably mounted at its opposite ends in slots |22 in side plates |23 bolted as at |24 to the frame members i1. The rearward ends of the side plates |23 are bent perpendicularly as at |25 and bored for the passage of thethreaded portion of eye-bolts i25, theY eye portions of which encircle the opposite ends of the axle |21. upon the eye-bolts |28 serve to adjust the axle 12| forwardly or rearwardly in the slots 112.2 and thereby tighten or loosen the sprocket chain |13.

The hub 1 Il is provided with a brake housing 23 (Figure 2) containing conventional brake mechanism (not shown)v and operated by a brake lever |29 to which is pivotally connected one end; of a brake rod 130, the opposite end. ofwhich'is'.

assenso@ of which is mounted upon a cross shaft |32` journaled in the opposite frame members Il. The right-hand end of `the cross shaft |32 is bent to form an arm |33, the end of which is again bent assat=z|34 to provide a foot pedal portion. As a consequence, when the user pushes the foot pedali` portion |34 downward, the cross shaft |32 is rotated, swinging the crank arm |3| and pulling the brake rod |30 forward, swinging the brake arm |29 and applying the Vbrake tofthe rear hub ||1. A

-To support the operator,the frame members |`I are provided with parallel upwardly project-f ingportions |35 (Figure 1) forming seat posts; the top ends of which carryangle brackets |36 fastened thereto. Fastened to the angle brackets |36 is a seat |31 for the operator. Footboards |38 are bolted to angle brackets |39 which in turn are bolted to the outer side of the frame portions I3 for supporting the feet of the operator.

The operations of the various subassemblies of the mechanisms associated with the toy vehicle of this invention have been described in connection with the description of their construction and consequently it is only necessary to describe the operation of the vehicle as a whole. The operator seats himself astride the vehicle, sitting upon the seat |31 and grasps the cross bar 5|, which it will be assumed is in its forward position as shown in the solid line position of Figures 1 and 2. To propel the vehicle, the operator pulls the cross bar toward himself, swinging the hand lever 56 into the chain line position in Figure 1. This rocks the tri-pivotal members El around their supporting links 61 and 10 which swing forwardlv into their chain line position. This action swings tbe tie bolt 12 and conseouently pulls the belt 13 from its rearward position to its forward chain-line position. uncoiling the belt from the hub and rotating the latter, together with the tubular hollow shaft 16 and cam 94.

As the lobes of the cam 94 rotate counterclockwise (Figure 4), thev move toward the teeth 98, the inner surfaces of which are on a smaller radius of curvature than the surfaces adiacent the rounded ends In!! of the shoes 99. As a conseouence, the shoes 99 are forced outwardly into driving engagement with the inner surface of the arcuate driving members- IM. rotating them bv the frictional engagement therebetween. This rotation is `transnlitted to the pins |93 and thence to the sprocket |05. rotating the latter in a counterclnckwise direction (liigure il. '.The consequent travel of the sprocket chain ||3 likewise rotates the rear sprocket H5 and rear hub in a counterclockwise direction. similarly rotating the rear wheel H3 and propelling the vehicle in a forward direction. As the vehicle gathers speed and consemiently acouires stability. the operator is enabled to remove his feet from the ground and rest them upon the foot boards |38.

To steer the vehicle, the operator merely turns the cross bar 5| in the desired direction toward which the vehicle is intended to turn. The turning of the tubular shaft 45 is transmitted through the squared shaft 43 to the upper collar 40 and thence through the outer and inner coil springs 30 and 3| to the lowerl collar 29 and thence to the shaft 2l! and front fork I9. The turning of the front fork I9 turns the front wheel I1 and consequently steers the vehicle in the direction toward which the cross bar 5| is turned;

As previously stated, the steering connection is maintained between' the cross bar 5| and the front fork I9 regardless of the position of the hand lever 56 by reason of the reciprocation of4 the squared'shaft 43` within the square-bored sleeve 45 "mounted within'thetubularl shaft 451. and-also-by the flexible connection providedbyl' the outer' andA inner coil springs 30 .and 3| and their 'associated elements. Thus, the vehicle may be-steeredregardless of. whether the .hand lever' is in its.forward,.solidline position, or in .fits J rearward, chain-linepositi'on. `The provision of the tri-pivotalmembers 6| and their associated elements provides av powerful mechanical advantage wherebythe thrust arisingfrom-' the swinging of the hand lever 56 rearwardly is transmitted to the belt 13 and thence to the sprocket |5 and rear wheel I8.

The coil spring B6 pulls the belt 13 rearwardly to rewind it upon the hub 15 and at the same time pulls the tri-pivotal members 6| and hand lever 56 from their rearward-chain-line-positio'ns to their forwardsolid-line-positions (Figure 1). To continue the propulsion of the vehicle, the operator merely continues to pull the hand lever 56 repeatedly in a rearward direction, the coil spring 86 each time returning it to its forward position as previously described. When he so desires, the operator applies the brake to the rear wheel I8 by depressing the foot pedal portion |34 of the cross shaft |32 in the manner previously described.

While I have shown and described my invention in detail, it is to be understood that the same is to be limited only by the appended claims, for many changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim is:

l A toy Vehicle comprising a frame, forward and rear wheels mounted on said frame, a hand lever pivotally mounted on said frame, a unidirectional clutch device drivingly connected to one of said wheels. a pair of upstanding links pivotally mounted at their lower ends on spaced pivots on said frame, a tri-pivotal member having three pivots thereon arranged in a substantially triangular disposition, said tri-pivotal member having two of its pivots respectively connected to the upper ends of said links and having its third pivot pivotally connected to said hand lever, and an elongated flexible driving member connected at one end to said tri-pivotal member at a location spaced apart from the pivots of said tripvotal member on said links and at its other end connected to and coiled around a portion of said clutch device.

2. A toy vehicle comprising a frame, forward and rear wheels mounted on said frame, a hand lever pivotally mounted on said frame, a unidirectional clutch device drivingly connected to one of said wheels, a pair of upstanding links pivotally mounted at their lower ends on spaced pivots on said frame, a tri-pivotal member having two of its pivots respectively connected to the upper ends of said links and having its third pivot connected to said hand lever, and an elongated flexible driving member connected at one end to said tri-pivotal member at a location spaced `apart from the pivots of said tri-pivotal member on said links and below a line joining said lastmentioned link pivots, said exible driving member at its other end being connected to and coiled around a portion of said clutch device.

3. A toy vehicle comprising a frame, forward 

